46 Report of the Meetings for 1894. 



sent unto both these pyles, which upon summons, refusing: to surrender, 

 were straight assailed ; Thornton, by battery of iiii of our great pieces 

 of ordnance, and certain of Sir Peter Mewtus hakbutters to watch the 

 loopholes and windows on all sides, and Anderwick by a sort of the 

 same hakbutters alone, who so well bestarred them that when these 

 keepers had rammed up their outer doors, clayed and stopped up their 

 stairs within, and kept themselves aloft for defence of their house 

 about their battlements, the hakbutters gat in, and fyred them 

 underneath, whereby being greatly troubled with smoke and smother, 

 and brought in desperation of defence, they called pitifully over the 

 walls to my Lord's Grace for mercy ; who notwithstanding their great 

 obstinacy, and the ensample other of the enemies might have had by 

 their punishment, of his noble generositie, and by these words, making 

 half excuse for them (men may sometimes do that hastily in a jere, 

 whereof after, they may soon repent them) did take them to grace 

 and therefore sent one straight to them. But ere the messenger came, 

 the hakbutters had got ten up to them, and killed eight of them 

 aloft; one leapt over the walls, and running more than a furlong 

 after, was slain without in a water.* 



"All this while, at Thornton, our assault and their defence was 

 stoutly continued ; but well perceiving, how, on the one side, they 

 were battered, mined on the other, kept in with hakbutters round 

 about, and some of our men within also, occupying all the house under 

 them (for they had likewise stopt up themselves in the highest of 

 their house) and so to do nothing inward or outward, neither by 

 shooting of base (whereof they had but one or two) nor tumbling of 

 stones (the things of their chief annoyance whereby they might be 

 able any while to resist power, or save themselves), they plucked in 

 a banner that afore they had set out in defiance, and put out over 

 the walls a white linen clout tied on a stick's end, crying all with 

 one tune for mercy ; but having answer by the whole voice of the 

 assailers, they were traitors and it was too late, they plucked in their 

 stick and stuck up the banner of defiance again, shot of hurled stones, 

 and did what else they could, with great courage of their side, and 

 little hurt of ours. Yet, then, after being assured by our earnesty 

 that we had vowed the winning of their hold before our departure, 

 and then that their obstinacy could deserve no less than death, 

 plucked in their banner once again, and cried upon mercie ; and being 

 generally answered, ' Nay, nay, look never for it, for ye are arrant 

 traitors'; then made they a petition, that if they should needs die, 

 yet that my Lord's Grace would be so good to them as they might 

 be hanged, whereby they might somewhat reconcile themselves to 

 Godward, and not die in malice with so great danger of their souls ; 

 a policy sure, in my mind, though but of gross heddes, yet of a fine 

 device. Sir Miles Patrick being nigh about this pyle at this time, 

 and spying one in a red doublet did guess he should be an Englishman, 



* The window facing the east, where he leapt out, is still shown. 



